Wedding customs throughout history, from the bridal party to the origin of engagement and wedding rings

The origin of the members of the bridal party

During the era of marriage by capture, loyal tribesmen and close friends of the groom within the tribe helped him invade enemy territory to capture his bride. As he ran with her, his friends stayed behind to defend themselves or fight the outraged relative of the bride. Such were the first ushers and the godfather.

The maid of honor and bridesmaids, as they are known today, also date back through the centuries to Saxon England. The eldest of them would attend the bride for several days before the wedding. She was especially responsible for making the bridal crown, decorating the wedding banquet, and dressing the bride. The related forerunners of today’s bridesmaids were the guards who protected the maiden from capture. Other examples of the use of “bridesmaids” were the ten witnesses required by the Roman marriage ceremony.

Modern wedding flower girls and ring bearers are a holdover from fertility rites practiced by many different peoples. The bride was often accompanied by a small child who was supposed to symbolize a fruitful union.

The origin of the processional

The origin of the procession has clearly developed from ancient and medieval wedding processions. Among the Athenians, the ceremony began with morning offerings to Zeus and Hera, and especially to Artemis, who, we are told, was not in favor of marriages. Then, as night fell, the bride was taken to the groom’s house. She was riding in a cart, pulled by a pair of mules, and was sitting in a sofa-like arrangement between her husband and one of her close friends. As the wedding procession progressed, she was greeted and accompanied by friends who carried wedding torches and sang songs.

In medieval times, the procession was especially colorful. Gaily dressed minstrels sang and flamed at the head of the procession. Then came a young man who carried the bride’s cup, which was a chalice or vase of silver or gilt silver, decorated with gilding, rosemary, and ribbons. Then the bride walked, attended by two bachelors and a dozen gentlemen and pages. Then maidens came carrying bridal cake, followed by girls with garlands of wheat. Then the groom appeared, led by two maids, and walked in the midst of his close friends, including his “godfather.” The relative walked behind him, and they were followed by less close friends. Finally, at some distance and apparently without caring about the festivities, or the ceremony, the father of the bride appeared!

The origin of engagement and wedding rings

From what can be discovered, the wedding ring originated in caveman times on a reed cord with which the man tied himself around his wife’s waist to make one of her spirits. The Egyptians are believed to have introduced the first metal finger rings that were probably made of gold. In Egyptian hieroglyphs, a diadem indicated eternity. Christians in the 9th century began wearing wedding rings that have continued to the present.

There is a legend that says that the first wedding ring was made of iron by Tubalcain for Prometheus. Iron symbolized endurance, perfect unyielding harmony.

The early Romans wore iron wedding rings. Among the poorer Englishmen, even in the 19th century, it was customary to wear the ring in the tower of the Church. And today, when a very poor Irishman can’t afford a wedding ring, he rents one! The Puritans banned the rings because they considered their use to be pagan.

Engagement rings followed the same pattern over the years as wedding rings. The caveman first braided grass or hurried around the ankles or wrists of his chosen girlfriend. These were uncomfortable and were abandoned in favor of strands of grass tied around the fiancé’s finger.

The first allusion to engagement rings in Christian literature is said to be found in Tertullian’s writings in the late 2nd century AD The Romans are credited with introducing engagement rings to ancient Germans and there is a reference to them in the law of the Visigoths in 642 AD

Even the inscriptions on wedding or engagement rings had their origin in centuries past. Already in the year 400 a. The Greeks had dedications inscribed on their rings, while medieval French suitors especially liked the practice.

The ring ceremony of times past was interesting. During the ceremony, the ring was placed on the open book. Then the clergyman sprinkled it with holy water and blessed it. Then the groom took it with the thumb and the first two fingers of his right hand and placed it on the bride’s thumb, saying: “In the name of the Father.” Then he transferred it to the index finger, saying, “And of the Son.” Then he changed it to the second finger when he said, “And of the Holy Spirit.” Finally he placed it on his ring finger with “Amen”. It didn’t seem to matter if the ring was placed on the bride’s right or left hand. Sometimes it was placed to the right in marriage and to the left in the wedding.